Barbie Perkins-Cooper, Author

Dearest Readers:

I suppose today is a good day to complain about Fitbit. Why? Simple. Their wrist bands and other items to hold or wear the activity trackers do not hold up! The quality of the bands is cheap – to say the least, and when I phoned Fitbit to complain, I spoke to a customer service rep living in Hungary???

Yes, their customer service is good, that is – IF one likes to speak to a rep living in another country and definitely not aware of the USA. Fitbit is just about to annoy me to the highest!

For example, I had a Fitbit One years ago. I tucked it into the plastic case provided, wearing it, like most women, in my bra. I clipped it onto the bra, expecting it to hold up.  Well…Let’s just say, the case did not survive. I admit it, I do have a bosom. Sometimes that little case would move and work itself out. Once, it did so at Wal-Mart. I phoned them to report it, and of course, if someone found it, it was not reported. So, I contacted Fitbit. Surprisingly, they sent me another Fitbit One. The case it was in failed to hold up too. I think I must’ve lost the case and Fitbit One somewhere in my back yard while gardening and cutting the lawn. Maybe my lawnmower ate it?

After the loss of the Fitbit One, I chose to purchase the Fitbit Alta. The Alta came with a wrist band. Perhaps this will work better. It did not. Only a few months of wear and tear, the wristband popped loose at Cracker Barrel in Charlotte, NC. Fortunately, while paying, another customer noticed it, picked it up, handing it to the cashier. I glanced down at my wrist. Eureka! My wrist band fell off of my wrist, onto the floor and I didn’t even notice it!

“That’s my wrist band and Fitbit,” I thanked the cashier, while putting my wrist band Fitbit Alta back on my wrist I said: Don’t ever buy a Fitbit product. They work well, until the Kmart quality wrist band breaks, and we all know what’s happening with Kmart!

Later, I went to Fitbit’s website exclaiming to them that I was divorcing myself from Fitbit. Much to my surprise, they contacted me weeks later – after I found another activity tracker, sending me another wrist band AFTER I sent them a photograph of the “defective” wrist band. Hey Fitbit… Guess what? ALL OF YOUR WRIST BANDS ARE DEFECTIVE!

I got the new wrist band from Fitbit and I wore it UNTIL IT FELL APART!

Enough of this! I retired my Fitbit Alta!

I bought another tracker – only this time – NOT a Fitbit. I purchased a Garmin Vivofit 2. I wear it daily. I’ve had the Garmin over a year, replacing the battery in March, 2018. Much to my surprise, the wrist band is holding up! Can you believe it? Another company actually provides a quality activity tracker with a QUALITY wrist band that doesn’t fall apart???

I confess, I do like the Fitbit products, and I was wearing the Fitbit Charge 2 until Friday evening. While eating dinner at Longhorn’s Steak House, my Fitbit Charge 2 wrist band fell off. Not again! Just what is wrong with Fitbit? They use the CHEAPEST wrist bands ever!

Incidentally, I still wear the Garmin Vivofit 2, and when I have a Fitbit wrist band that WORKS, I wear it too! Weird, isn’t it? Well, you have to know me to understand me!

Presently, the Fitbit Charge 2 sits on my dresser. I am not attempting to wear it until I get a new wrist band. I phoned Fitbit Friday evening, speaking with the customer service rep in “Hungary!”

She wanted me to take a picture of the wrist band. I suppose to prove it was broken? Heck, it is not BROKEN…IT IS DEFECTIVE…JUST LIKE ALL THE WRIST BANDS MARKETED BY FITBIT! Maybe we have a failure to communicate! I refused to take a photograph and send it to her. I wanted a decision made now. Not a few days from now, after someone with a bit of authority decided my wrist band was indeed — B-R-O-K-E-N! After a few minutes discussion, she actually asked me how much I wear the Fitbit. Maybe I was wearing it too much and that made it ‘defective???’

Ok. I understand I am blonde, and maybe I do not have a degree in technology, but — AREN’T ACTIVITY TRACKERS DESIGNED FOR YOU TO WEAR CONSTANTLY — TO TRACK YOUR ACTIVITY?

I might be blonde, but I’m not stupid!

She placed me on HOLD – several times, then she returned letting me know:

1. You do not need to take a photograph
2. We will send you another wrist band.

Big deal! I will get another wrist band, identical to the one that came with the Fitbit Charge 2. No doubt, it will become defective – just like all of the other wrist bands marketed by Fitbit. Just WHEN will they learn – their wrist bands are defective!

Meanwhile, I managed to find a metallic wrist band online at Wal-Mart. I purchased it. I will not wear the Fitbit Charge 2 until I get the metallic band.

Now, I’m curious. What country manufactures Fitbit? According to Wikipedia – the USA. Funny. I assumed it was made in China, like so many items the USA provides.

So now, my Fitbit Charge 2 will rest on my dresser until I get the wrist band from Wal-Mart. Will it last? Probably longer than the ones that come with Fitbit Charge 2, Fitbit Alta, and others.

Isn’t it a shame? We pay so much money for activity trackers such as Fitbit.

I’ve had the Garmin Vivofit 2 for almost two years. The only time I have to charge it is when I take it to Batteries Plus Bulbs to get a new battery, and I haven’t had any problems with their wrist bands.  https://www.batteriesplus.com/service

If only Fitbit would do a bit of marketing research and discover they MUST improve the cheapened wrist bands they provide! I do prefer the Fitbit activity trackers. If only they would IMPROVE their disgusting wrist bands.

Perhaps this is the marketing strategy of Fitbit — to provide a quality activity tracker with a defective wrist band, so customers will have to purchase wrist bands over and over again.

Hey, Fitbit. Here’s an eye opener for you – what part of S-T-U-P-I-D and D-E-F-E-C-T-I-V-E do you not understand?

And now, I must get off my soap box and enjoy this Sunday afternoon!